Cultural Exchange, страница 166 - гдз по английскому языку 8 класс (spotlight) учебник Ваулина, Дули

Being both students and visitors to Russia, it goes without saying that we are always keen to learn more about Russian schools.

Education

Spotlight on Russia learns lessons about the Russian education system

In Russia children begin school at the age of six or seven. They spend four years at primary school, five years at secondary school and two years at senior school. School normally starts at 8:30am and finishes at 3pm, though this may vary slightly from school to school. Young students have 4-5 lessons a day and older students have up to 7 lessons a day. This means that the school week can be either 5 or 6 days long. In large cities where there are a lot of students attending the same school, there are sometimes separate morning and afternoon sessions. There are usually around 20-30 students in a class. There is a wide range of school subjects for students aged 12-17. These include Russian, literature, maths (including algebra and geometry), history, social science, biology, geography, physics, ICT, chemistry and others. English is the main and most popular foreign language, although students can also learn Spanish, German or French or Chinese. Almost all classes involve the use of computers and media technology. Some schools may specialise in certain subjects - maths and science, for example. There are also vocational schools that train students in a specific profession, such as music or dance, alongside their usual lessons. The school year is usually divided into three or four terms with two or three breaks. School starts on 1st September and finishes on 31st May. The summer holiday starts on 1st June and lasts for three months but Year 9 and Year 11 students take their exams in June. The Russian National Exam is a final exam for school-leavers. It's a national test combining school-leaving exams and entrance exams for university.

DISCUSS

• Do you know how the Russian education system differs from any foreign ones?
• What do you think are the strong and weak points of the Russian education system?
• What are you proud of in your school?
• What's your favourite place in school? Why?

ACTIVITY

Ask your parents about the national school system in their time. What has changed in Russian schools? Write to us and say what you think about the changes.

Cultural

Exchange

There are 31 historical and natural monuments in Russia that are protected by UNESCO. The central part of St Petersburg is among them. Let's have a look at this great city and its founder Peter the Great.

Spotlight on Russia learns about

Peter the Great and his creation

Peter I, Peter the Great, was the Tsar of Russia from 1682 to 1725. He was one of Russia's greatest statesmen, organizers, and reformers.

At the beginning of Peter's reign, Russia was territorially a huge power, but with no access to the Black, the Caspian or the Baltic Seas. To win such an access became the main goal of Peter's foreign policy. At that time, Russia was backward. Breaking the resistance of the boyars and of the clergy he initiated a series of reforms that affected, in the course of 25 years, every field of the national life – administration, industry, commerce, technology, and culture. Thanks to the reforms, the economic activity and the population of the towns increased. Peter was the first ruler of Russia to sponsor education on secular (not religious) lines and to bring an element of state control into that field.

It is difficult to overestimate the influence of Peter the Great on the birth of St Petersburg. Peter himself chose the site for the new city, laying the foundation stone for the Peter and Paul Fortress and the city in May 1703.

According to one of the legends, Peter was boating around the Neva Delta, inspecting various islands. He came ashore on Zayachy Ostrov and suddenly noticed an eagle flying high in the sky above him (the eagle, in double-headed form, has been a symbol of the Russian government for centuries). This was interpreted as a good omen and the Tsar gave the command to build the fortress at this spot. The location of the fortress was strategically important, blocking the Neva's entrance to enemy fleets. Immediately a small wooden cottage, combining elements of both Russian and Dutch architecture, was built for Peter, and has become famous as the Cabin of Peter the Great. On the left bank of the Neva, opposite the Cabin, the Tsar ordered to build a park with marble statues and fountains. In the park, that was called the Summer Garden, stands the modest, two-storey Summer Palace of Peter the Great. St Petersburg buildings of that period belong to the World Heritage and are protected by UNESCO.

DISCUSS

• Have you ever been to St Petersburg? What impressed you most?
• We learn history visiting such places, don't we? Why is it important to know history of your country?
• Do you think Peter I was a great Russian statesman? What makes you think so?

ACTIVITY

Find out about another World Heritage Site in Russia and tell the class about it.

Обсудите:
1. Вы когда-нибудь были в Санкт-Петербурге? Что вас впечатлило больше всего?
2. Мы изучаем историю, посещая такие места, не так ли? Почему важно знать историю своей страны?
3. Считаете ли вы, что Петр I был великим русским государственным деятелем? Почему вы так думаете?

Ответ:

1. Yes, I have been to St Petersburg. What impressed me most were the drawbridges over the Neva River. Seeing them open at night for the ships to pass was like magic. The white nights in summer were also amazing! / Да, я был в Санкт-Петербурге. Больше всего меня впечатлили разводные мосты через реку Неву. Смотреть, как они разводятся ночью, чтобы пропустить корабли, было похоже на волшебство. А еще белые ночи летом были восхитительны!

2. Yes, we definitely do. It's important to know the history of your country because it helps us understand who we are and where we come from. It teaches us about the mistakes of the past so we don't repeat them, and it shows us the great achievements we can be proud of. It connects us to our ancestors. / Да, определенно. Важно знать историю своей страны, потому что это помогает нам понять, кто мы и откуда мы родом. Она учит нас ошибкам прошлого, чтобы мы их не повторяли, и показывает великие достижения, которыми мы можем гордиться. Это связывает нас с нашими предками.

3. Yes, I think Peter I was a great Russian statesman. The text says he was a great reformer who changed many things in Russia in just 25 years, like administration, industry, and culture. He also founded a beautiful new city, St Petersburg, which became the capital and gave Russia access to the sea. He made Russia a more powerful country. / Да, я считаю, что Петр I был великим русским государственным деятелем. В тексте говорится, что он был великим реформатором, который за 25 лет изменил многое в России, например, управление, промышленность и культуру. Он также основал прекрасный новый город, Санкт-Петербург, который стал столицей и дал России выход к морю. Он сделал Россию более могущественной страной.